Pats drop 4-3 decision to Medicine Hat

The Regina Pats failed in their attempt to build of a win on the weekend,
dropping a 4-3 decision to the Medicine Hat Tigers on Tuesday evening.

The Pats got off to the right start, when Carson Samoridny gave Regina a 1-0
lead less than a minute into the contest. However, the Tigers would come back
just a few minutes later and tie the game at one as Elgin Pearce beat Matt
Hewitt when both teams had a player in the box. The Tigers would take the lead
before the period was out, as Boston Leier made it 2-1.

There was no scoring the middle frame, but plenty of penalties...the Pats
would take four of their nine penalties on the evening in the middle frame,
after taking four in the first period as well. Needless to say head coach Pat
Conacher was not pleased with his team's discipline, but he was even more upset
with the types of penalties they were taking.

"If it was a penalty, like a tough penalty, where you're taking the player, I
can live with that," he said. "The hooking, holding, tripping, the penalties we
were taking, the interference , they come back to haunt you."

Even though the Tigers went to the powerplay eight times, they did only
manage to score once with the extra man, as the Pats penalty kill did come to
play Tuesday evening.

The flood gates opened in the third period, as the Tigers would take a 3-1
lead just over three minutes into the period. However, before the period was
even five minutes old the Pats had tied it up thanks goals from Marc McCoy and
Morgan Klimchuk. While Conacher liked the fight his team showed...he didn't like
what happened just a few minutes later.

"They get the puck a turn over 200 feet from our net, and a guy walks through
virtually four players," said Conacher about Jacob Doty's go ahead and eventual
game winning goal.

The loss leaves the Pats 13 points back of the eighth and final playoff spot
in the eastern conference, and Conacher admits they know they need a lot of help
to get back in it now.

"I'm responsible for it, the whole thing," he said. "We had an opportunity
coming out of Christmas with the way the schedule was set up. We haven't got the
job done."

4,187 took in the game Tuesday night; Pats are back in action Friday night at
the Brandt Centre hosting the Swift Current Broncos.